A dream come true: Wounded Marine getting new house in Midway

MIDWAY | Ret. Cpl. Jessie Fletcher of the U.S. Marine Corps says he went to battle for the American dream. The wounded Marine experienced part of that dream Thursday afternoon.

BY DARRICK IGNASIAKThe Dispatch

MIDWAY | Ret. Cpl. Jessie Fletcher of the U.S. Marine Corps says he went to battle for the American dream. The wounded Marine experienced part of that dream Thursday afternoon."I fought for a lot of things, fighting for every American to have a dream house falls into that category," he said.Fletcher and his fiancée, Emily Ball, welcomed about 100 people to the site of their new home on Willow Ridge Lane off Hickory Tree Road in the Midway community for a groundbreaking ceremony. Helping a Hero, a Texas-based nonprofit that provides support for military personnel, severely injured in the war of terror, is responsible for building the couple, both 24 years old, a new home in the Kensington Estates subdivision."I had no idea so many people would come and show their support," Fletcher said. "… Having seen as many people show up as today, it takes that flame inside of every one of us that we always remember what happened after Sept. 11, we all remember after any tragic event, America really rallies behind the troops. We always seem to forget that they are doing it every day. Today really showed me that."Fletcher, a New York native, joined the Marines immediately after high school graduation in June 2008. He was a Marine scout sniper who served in the First Battalion, Sixth Marines. Fletcher lost both of his legs after he was wounded Oct. 17, 2011, as a result of stepping on an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. He also lost multiple fingers and hearing in one of his ears. His recovery was 14 months before he walked out of the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and began his new life in Winston-Salem."I couldn't have made it through that recovery without Emily," he said. "Emily was the sound rock that I was able to stand on when I couldn't do it."Fletcher, who was in the U.S. Marine Corps for five years, said he joined the military because he has a total of nine brothers and sisters."I wanted to make sure they had no excuse to do it for duty and for their country," he said. "I let them know it was my choice to do it for them,"Fletcher met his bride-to-be at the Marine Corps Birthday Ball on Nov. 13, 2010. The two went with friends who were dating each other. Fletcher and Ball, a Winston-Salem native, discussed about getting their friends to dance with each other, at which time Fletcher also asked for her to dance with him."Emily said, 'Yes' to me dancing and now we dance every weekend," he said.Fletcher said he and Ball chose to live in northern Davidson County because his wife's family lives in the area. He said he and his fiancée are in the process of continuing their education. Ball is also a paralegal. They are set to get married Nov. 16."When I got the phone call that he was injured, I did not know what to expect, so this is a dream come true," Ball said.Brad Leonard Builders in Welcome is serving as the contractor for the couple's home. Jordan Leonard, CEO and president of Brad Leonard Builders, said his company was selling the acre of land and Fletcher found the land that is more than an acre. Helping a Hero contacted him to get involved in the project."I'm excited to be involved in it," Leonard said, adding that he plans on having the 2,500-square-foot house completed in early November.U.S. Sen. Richard Burr and Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines participated in the groundbreaking."Jessie has given more than most, and it's only appropriate we would make sure we reward with him with the adaptive housing that his needs in fact require," Burr said "I am here to say thank you to this community.""We are so delighted that this is happening in our community," Joines said. "I want to personally thank all those who are helping to make this happening for the builders, suppliers and the others who have rallied together to honor this wonderful young man and his family what he has done for our country,"Bill Fleming, who will be a neighbor of Fletcher, welcomed the couple to the neighborhood."We are happy to have him," Fleming said. "It's certainly an honor to have a hero right next door."The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association, Smith Phillips Building Supply in Winston-Salem and Lindsey Architecture in Greensboro are also involved in the project. Members of the R.J. Reynolds High School Junior ROTC also participated in Thursday's ceremony.The couple's residence will be the 90th home and second in North Carolina built by Helping a Hero since it was founded seven years ago. It will be four bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms and wheelchair accessible home. The value of the home and the land will be $300,000, said Meredith Iler, national chairwoman and founder of Helping a Hero. The house, she said, will be built on in-kind and cash donations, as well with a $50,000 mortgage paid by Fletcher and Ball.Darrick Ignasiak can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 217, or darrick.ignasiak@the-dispatch.com.